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NOV 14, 1950 w. scr-HER Erm. 2,530,032

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3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 17, 1946 ATTORNEY5 Nov. 14, 1950 w scHlER ET AL DOLL 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 17, 194e INVENTORS wmf@ DOLL

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 17, 1946 INVENToRs Milam Schl' er By jaw?! 17g/ggf# knownf Patented Nov. 14, 1950 OFFICE 'f DOLL Wallace Schier, Forest Hills, and David L. Doggett, Mount Kisco, N. Y.

Application July 17, 1946, Serial No. 684,131

8 Claims. 1

This invention relates to dolls, a-nd more particularly to a doll having a mouth opening into which simulated or real foodstuffs may be fed.

VDolls which may be nursed or fed are well Such presently known dolls, however, usually have a rigid body Yframe providing with an interna-l body ycavity into which the food passes and from which it may be expelled in a manner simulating natural body functions. Such dolls are expensive, and many parents believe that the manner in which the foods or vliquids are expelled is unnecessarily and undesirably realistic.

f Itis a common experience among parents that young children seem to prefer rag or soft dolls to the more expensive rigid body types. It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide a-rag or soft doll which may be fed,

thereby giving additional appeal to an inexpensive doll, although it should be understood that various aspects of the invention are applicable to all types of doll.

It is an object of the invention to construct a rag or soft-body doll so thatit has a mouth opening into which food may be inserted.

It is an object of the invention to providaa doll having a mouth passage communicating with a receptacle at the rear of the head into which the food may pass for subsequent removal.

It is an object of the invention to provide a doll with a head and throat construction pursuantto which the doll may be fed-even with actual foodstuffswithout damage to the doll.

It is still another object of the invention to providev a rag or soft body doll having a sanitary and' readily cleansable throat,'whereby if a child inserts real foodstuffs therein, the throat may be washed Without damaging or wettingother portions of the doll.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a means of inexpensively constructing a doll to include a food insertion and retention portion.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel method of yconstructing a rag or soft doll.

It is another object of the invention to provide a novel means for securing the head tothe body of a doll.

, Other objects and advantages will hereinafter be described.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective of the upper body portion of yadollmade pursuant to one embodiment of the `present invention, Vshowing the doll being fed;

Fig. 2 is a iront View of the upper head portion of the doll;

Fig. 3 is a front view of the body of the doll;

Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 3 but showing the head securement strap fastened to the shoulder of the body;

Fig. 5 is a perspective showing the member which forms the throat of the doll, at a stage before the attachment to the body;

Fig. 6 shows the throat member in position on the body;

Fig. 7 is a perspective of a poke or receptacle into which the simulated food passes;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing the head and throat relationship;

Fig. 9 is a rear view of the completed doll with a portion of the poke cut away;

Fig. 10 is a front View of a second embodiment of the invention; I

Fig. 11 is a side elevation thereof, with certain portions taken away for clarity of disclosure; and

Fig. 12 is a rear elevation of theFig. 10 embodiment, with a portion of the receptacle or poke removed;

Fig. 13 is a side elevation, in section, showing-a third embodiment, in which the head is ymolded in one piece; and

Fig. 14 is a perspective of a throat insertion which may be used with any of the embodiments herein, but is particularly applicable to the Fig. 10 and Fig. 13 forms.

Referring to the i'irst embodiment of the invention as shown in Figs. 1 to 9, a doll-20 comprises `a head 2l and a body 22, the head being a completely separate structure as shown in Fig. 2. The head is of rag or soft construction, or a combination of soft and rigid molded shapes, as desired; the cheeks 23 are preferably so padded or formed as to have a slightly exaggerated chubbiness so as to somewhat conceal the ozpening beneath the head portion as later described. The lower front margin of the head is decorated to indicate the upper lip 24 of the mouth.

As is apparent from Figs. 8 and 9, the lower surface 25 of the head is imperforate, and is essentially smooth. The surface may, if desired, be faced with a smooth, tough, plastic sheet (not shown) such as the vinyl resin lms.

The doll body may be of any conventional type, but is preferably of the rag or soft-bodytype in that the present invention lends itself most advantageously thereto. The shoulder' portion of 'the body is desirably formed to provide a relaltively wide shoulder: area having a'lhollowl and upwardly curving shoulder peaks 21. The head is secured to the body by means of a at fabric strap 28 stitched to the shoulders as by the indicated lines of stitching 30.

The lower chin and throat portion of the face is provided by a strap or band of fabric 32 folded as shown in Fig. and decorated to represent the lower lip 33 of the doll. The strap 32 is laid upon the strap 28 transversely thereof as shown in Fig. 6, and at the fold is stuffed with any suitable material as indicated at 34, and the fold stitched along its margins to retain the stuffing. The strap is stitched to the band 28 and to the back of the doll, extending downwardly to about the shoulder' blade area, ultimately to form a part of the poke or food-receiving receptacle,

The head 2l is then placed upon the throatforming portion 35 of the strap 32, and the respective ends of the strap 28 are brought upwardlyaround the side of the head and are suitably secured thereto at the meeting point thereof. It may be preferable to stitch the strap 28 to the sides of the head for additional strength of securement. The strap 28 holds the head tightly but flexibly on the throat structure, and permits the head to be tilted or inclined to open the mouth of the doll, permitting the insertion of the articles simulating food. As clearly appears in Fig. 8, the bottom of the head portion and the top of the throat portion form a narrow passage or throat T which is normally so nearly closed as to be' substantially invisible, but which because of the padding 34 and/or the tilting of the head will receive or permit the insertion of a rigid material 3B, Fig. 1, simulating a food morsel.

The chubbiness of the cheeks of the head and the raised shoulder portions 21 conceal the line of separation between the head and throat. In addition, a bonnet 3l and other suitable decoration may be used to hide the strap 28 and generally to conceal the joint between the head and the throat.

To receive the simulated food stuffs after they have been inserted into the mouth of the doll, it is Ipreferred to use a poke or bag 38 having a closed bottom anda front opening 40. An elastic band 4l may be run within a hem at the upper edge of the poke so as to gather the material thereof tightly against `the rear of the bonnet,

whereupon the poke appears as a part of the bonnet. The edges of the front opening 40 are stitched to the rear of the head and to the side margins of strap 32 to complete the closure of the poke.. The tight closure of the poke prevents the simulated foodstuls from falling out vif Ythe child should turn the doll upside down,

but permits ready removal when desired.

The foodstuffs inserted through the .throat opening T will becaught by the poke 38, from `which they may Vlater be removed. The poke, throat area of the head, and the strap 32 may be .of a water proofed fabric or given a covering layer of waterproof plastic lm or the like to minimize soilingand to make the structure cleanable, for it is probable that a small child will at- .tempt to feed the jdoll with crackers, candy, or vother actual foods. place a wad or layer of absorbent material as in- It may be desirable also to dicated at 42, Fig. 8, to absorb water or other liquids. Said absorbent material should be removable for replacement.

In aV second embodiment of the invention,

shown ,in Figs. 10 to 12,V a somewhat more realis- Y.tic effect'is accomplished'by securing between 'Lhe shouldersofthe body, a, soft or resilient structure which forms the lower jaw 5l and lower cheeks 52. Said structure may have a. closed top wall to form the lower wall of the throat passage, or a throat insert 53, as shown in Fig. 14, may be used.

The head portion 54 terminates midway of the cheek area, at a point shown by the line of stitching 55 by means of which the head may be secured to the front wall of the'neck. The line of stitching 55 may be ratherfine and unobtrusive in that means such as the strap 28 is used as the primary structure securing the head to the body. The stitching need only to extend rearwardly to a point where the strap 28 and/or bonnet 3l will conceal the gradually widening throat T.

As appears in Fig. 11, the curvature of the head and throat portions provides a small mouth 56 in which the upper and lower lips are slightly parted, as distinguished from the previously described construction where the mouth and lips are essentially a long, relatively concealed, slit.[

As in the previous embodiment, the opposed surfaces dening the throat may be of a Waterproof and preferably relatively smooth material so that should the child feed her doll with real food morsels, the passage can be cleansed. It is now believed preferable, however, to employ the funnel or throat insert 53, Fig. 14, which maybe molded or otherwise fabricated from rubber or Waterproof plastic lms.

This structure may be stitched or adhesively secured to the respective head and chin portions 54, 50, and forms a readily cleanable throat. By providing the poke of the bonnet with snap fasteners 5l, whereby the upper portion of the poke may be dropped, the rear of the throat member 53 is accessible for washing. It is possible even to pour water through thel throat to rinse the same of any food particles, Awithout damaging or wetting other parts of the doll.

In the embodiment of Fig. 13, the head 60 `of the doll, or the head and such body portion 6I as is desirable, is molded in one piece from a suitable soft material, such as sponge rubber. The throat passage T is formed during the molding stage. In some sponge rubber molding practices, external surfaces are smooth, i. e., not spongy, although the interior structure is honeycombed. In such a molded structurethe throat T would not be absorbent of liquids and could readily be cleansed. However, it may be said that generally it is preferred to use `the smooth-surfaced throat piece 53 so that the real or simulated foodstuffs may be easily passedrinto the poke or receptacle 38. Y

As clearly appears from Figs.r 12, 13 and 14, the throat passage53 is oval in cross section,",said oval being very at at the'mouth portion and continuing with only relatively small en larg'ement for an appreciable portion of its length, whence it then sharply increases in cross '-s'ectional area to the enlarged opening of the rear of the head. Such gradualincrease in area'is apparent in the sectional elevation of-Fig: 13.

AThe advantage of the initially relatively-slitlike passage is that it guards against the expulsion of food frorn'the mouth of the dllfand provides means whereby a simulated candy or peppermint stick, fo-r example, would ber'l'field in the mouth of the doll in very realisticfasliion.

It will be thus apparent thatwe have provided a simple construction, readily adaptable 2`to` dolls of rag or other types, pursuant'to whihrlthe rdoll may be fed .in rather realistic l manner',

The flexibility of the head-securement means minimizes the possibility of damage or tearing in the event the child attempts to introduce a large article into the throat.

Although the invention has been described by making a fully detailed reference to the certain presently preferred embodiments, such detail of description is to be understood in an instructive rather than a limiting sense, many changes being possible within the scopel of the claims hereto appended.

We claim:

1. A doll, comprising a body having a padded smooth-topped layer in the throat area; a head structurally independent of said body disposed on said layer, the area of said head overlying said layer being imperforate, and said head and said layer forming upper and lower Walls of a passage; strap means secured to said body and to said head for tightly but flexibly securing said head to said body, whereby said passage is normally substantially imperceptible; and means at the rear of said body to receive food-simulating articles which may be introduced into said passage.

2. A doll, comprising a body having a smoothtopped throat forming member extending above the shoulder line, the forward upper edge of said member being decorated in simulation of the lower lip; a head structure having a face portion which is devoid of lower jaw and chin formation disposed on said throat member, the lower front edge of said face portion being decorated in simulation of the upper lip, said head structure being provided with a smooth imperforate base in the area overlying said throat member; means for flexibly securing said head on said body, the juncture of said head and said throat providing a flat passage into which foodstuff-simulating articles may be manually inserted; and a sack secured to the rear oi the head and having an opening to receive said articles.

3. A doll, comprising a body having a relatively short upstanding neck structure midway of the shoulders and congurated and decorated to represent lower jaw and lower cheek portions, the top of said structure being covered with a smooth material; a head structure complete down to the upper lip and middle cheek portion, said head structure being secured to said first-named structure by a line of stitching joining the respective cheek portions, the lower part of said head having a smooth surface; a band secured to the body and extending upward about said head and secured thereto; and a receptacle iixed to the back of said head and body and having an opening communieating with the passage formed by the juncture of the head and neck structure.

4. A doll, comprising a body having a smooth resilient throat-forming member; a structurally independent head disposed on said throat and defining, with the upper surface of said throat,

a passage into which articles simulating foodstuis may be inserted; means for flexibly securing said head t0 said body; and a receptacle secured to said body at the rear thereof and communicating with said passage to receive said articles.

5. A doll, comprising a body having a throat portion consisting of a thick resilient layer of material with a substantially smooth, imperforate upper surface; a structurally independent head disposed on said throat; said head, in the area overlying said throat, also having a smooth imperforate surface; means secured to said body and extending upward about said head to secure the latter to the body, the head and throat members forming a passage through which articles simulating food may be introduced; and a receptacle secured to said head and body at the rear thereof to receive such articles.

6. A doll having mutually independent head and body portions, the lower surface of the head portion and the upper surface of the body portion being so sloped that when the head portion is placed upon the body portion, there results a funnel-like passage which increases in size from a relatively narrow slit defining the mouth of the doll to an enlarged opening at the base of the head; a smooth, waterproof lining secured within said passage, a bag having a wall opening communicating with said rear opening secured to said head and body portions to receive articles which may be inserted within said passage; and means for securing together said head and body portions.

7. A doll as dei-ined in claim 6, in which said bag portion contains means for the absorption of liquids.

8. A doll as dened in claim 6, in which said bag is disengageable from the head portion to permit exposure of the rear of said passage.

WALLACE SCI-HER. DAVID L. DOGGETT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 196,639 Dean Oct. 30, 1877 427,927 Steiner May 13, 1890 580,713 Peirce Apr. 13, 1897 932,962 Clark Aug. 31, 1909 1,218,398 Gurtov Mar. 6, 1917 1,363,570 Cotter Dec. 28, 1920 1,751,773 Trosper Mar. 25, 1930 1,816,139 Aster July 28, 1931 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 507,134 Great Britain June 9, 1939 

